As you prepare to send your children back to school, there are
many things you may be thinking of: new clothes, schoolbooks, and
lunch boxes. Another thing you can think about is their
nutrition. A healthy diet and supportive nutritional supplements
can help give kids what they need to be their best during the
school year and beyond.

Let’s face it: few kids eat the perfect diet. Families are in a
hurry and kids are picky, so they often rely on quick, packed
foods, fast foods or treats. Some kids also skip meals, which is
bad for their health.

In the snack department, here are some healthy ideas:

• Whole grain crackers – can be eaten with cheese or
  unsweetened natural peanut butter or almond butter.
• Baked corn chips – excellent with salsa or guacamole. Low in
  fat, high in fiber.
• Air-popped popcorn.
• Fresh fruit – try things other than bananas and apples such
  as berries, melon, plums, nectarines, kiwis, mango, papaya,
  pineapple or star fruit.
• Sliced veggies – carrots, celery, bell pepper and cucumber.
  Most markets even sell them pre-sliced to make this easy.
• Whole-grain cereals – great for breakfast, but can also be
  eaten dry as snacks.
• String cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt — look for small
  individual packets that are easy for kids to grab and eat. Find
  yogurt with real fruit but minus the added sugar or artificial
  sweeteners.
• Real juice and flavored waters – make sure it’s 100% juice
  and that the flavored waters are unsweetened. Try replacing soft
  drinks with a mix of 1/4 juice and plain carbonated water.
• Eggs – great for breakfast, but you can also keep some
  hard-boiled for snacks.
• Cans of low-sodium vegetable soup – can be a snack or a meal.
• Nuts and seeds such as walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds or
  pumpkin seeds – they should be raw or toasted without added salt,
  sugar or oil.